It’s essential to maintain your oral health to live a healthy life. Dental health is crucial for your overall health. At Vintage Oral Surgery, we know that healthy teeth and gums contribute to overall wellness. For this reason, our oral surgeons in Houston, TX, share their top 7 tips to help you achieve healthy gums and teeth.
1. Brush your teeth twice a day
Keeping your teeth healthy and clean starts with brushing twice a day. According to the standard guideline, you should brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes. This practice is also known as the 2×2 rule. While brushing, it’s important to use the correct technique and make sure to include every side of your teeth and tongue. Using the proper technique will not only ensure you clean your teeth properly, but it will also prevent soft tissue damage. Since soft tissues and delicate places surround your teeth, you need to ensure you remove the debris and bacteria while preventing damage to such areas.
2. Floss daily
Flossing every day is crucial to maintaining your oral health. While brushing removes most harmful particles, some can stick around in between your teeth because of the tiny spaces in between teeth. Therefore, dental floss is an excellent tool to remove food debris and bacteria stuck in places hard to reach for a toothbrush.
3. Replace your toothbrush at the right time
A worn-out toothbrush is unable to remove food debris and bacteria effectively. As a general rule, you should change your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Or, you should replace your brush at the signs of wear. Notice whether the bristles of your toothbrush are frayed or damaged. Slide your thumb over your toothbrush head and see whether the strands are returning to their original places. Moreover, if your toothbrush head contains toothpaste residue, you need to replace it because it can make you sick.
4. Visit your dentist every six months
Regular dental appointments allow your dentist to identify and treat dental issues at their early stages. It also allows your teeth to receive thorough cleaning every six months, crucial for keeping your gums and teeth healthy.
5. Consume a healthy diet
Consuming a diet healthy for your teeth and gums is also essential to maintain your oral health. You should avoid consuming too many sweetened, sticky, and acidic foods and drinks. And when you do, make sure to clean your teeth after 30 minutes. It’s also advisable to ask your dentist for recommendations about a healthy diet for your teeth and gums.
6. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated throughout the day is crucial for your overall health and your dental health. Being hydrated helps adequate saliva production, which aids in removing food debris from your oral cavity. Saliva also helps in dislodging bacteria and keeping your mouth moist and healthy.
7. Avoid smoking
Smoking can contribute to tooth staining, gum disease, and oral cancer. It affects the gums by restricting oxygen levels in the bloodstream. And so, the infected gums don’t heal. Furthermore, smoking can cause people to have increased dental plaque formation, making gum disease worse than in non-smokers. So, if you were planning to quit smoking, now is the best time.
Conclusion
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is crucial for your overall well-being, as dental health is linked with your overall health. Follow these seven tips to keep your oral health in top-notch condition. Please contact the oral surgeon in Houston, TX, for more information.
